“The Global Youth Village is a hands-on experience in global citizenship. I am confident that you will discover, as so many before you have, that with trust, cooperation and enthusiasm, you can cross barriers of ethnicity and race, gender and religion, and work together for a better world. Come join us for an exciting summer. We’re not only preparing for the future-we’re creating it!” -J. E. Rash, Founder of the Global Youth Village

The Global Youth Village for young people (ages 14‑18) in Bedford, Virginia hosts 50-70 youths and 25 staff from 15 or more countries each summer. They gather to create a living, working model of the global community. Participants establish deep friendships with people from cultures vastly different from their own. They gain practical skills and knowledge in the areas of leadership, cross‑cultural relations, and conflict resolution and discover how they can make a difference both locally and globally.

Our international summer program is operated by Legacy International. Since1979, participants from around the world have been coming together on our beautiful 45 acre campus in Virginia. Starting with just 9 youth in 1979, the program has expanded and has reached over 4,000 youth from over 100 countries! Our alumni circle the globe. Global Youth Village is accredited by the American Camping Association. Legacy International is affiliated with the United Nations Dept of Public Information. Read more About Legacy International.

How do you unfold a giant parachute? With the universal language of Cooperation, Leadership, Communication, Tolerance, and Friendship.

About Us

Join us in Virginia this summer for a unique and amazing international experience and leadership-training program.
The Global Youth Village is a summer program operated by Legacy International since 1979 for participants around the world.
Donate to the GYV Scholarship Fund

"I am 15 years old and have lived in Northampton, Massachusetts all my life. I never really got an idea of what the world was like outside of the US until I came to the Village. Everyday I found myself engaging in political conversations, learning about Indonesian culture and in doing so, I gained a global perspective. If I hadn’t come to GYV, I would probably have spent the summer at home, wondering about what the world was like, but would have had no idea."

Cory Castro, Participant

"I have been able to discover my various strengths at GYV. For instance, I never knew that I was good at public speaking, and I was given many opportunities to do it. I also never knew my leadership abilities until I arrived here, we learned about leaders, such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., and we were provided with chances to lead.”

Vinayak Balasurbram, Participant

“I was at camp with Iraqi youth and I was so impressed by their strength to persevere. It is inspiring to see people remain positive and hopeful in the face of such adversity. The challenges that face me in life no longer seem so daunting and I am prepared to face them with the same attitude and persistency I saw in my Iraqi friends.”

Shannon Eddy, USA

"I was a member of a team which prepared the "World Faiths Night". It was a very good experience for me to be responsible for an all camp event. It was a chance for me to speak in public and learn what to expect from the audience. Preparing this evening gave me a chance to review my religion again and discover similarities and differences in other religions. I don’t want to be ignorant about other religions and I want to be strong in mine."

Alaa Fadag, Saudi Arabia/US

"I have accomplished the goal of being able to speak in a large group and I learned about dialogue and conflict resolution. Now, I can go back home and resolve conflicts, whether they are personal, family, or community conflicts. I can start to make change."

Philip Kane, Northern Ireland

"In the past three weeks I have thought about questions no one has asked me before. I was shocked that someone wanted to hear my opinion. It is very rare that older generations look to youth and ask them if they have an answer. I feel stronger and more confident about the future."

Danny Whitelightning, Dakota Nation, US

"GYV has youth from amazingly diverse backgrounds, cultures, religions, and ideas. I’ve learned almost as much from my fellow participants as I have from the excellent workshops that I attended."

Sulafa Zidani, Palestine/Israel

"Elie had a transformative experience. He grew tremendously. He was made to feel so comfortable, so welcomed and embraced by everyone there."

Lisa Lehmann, Parent

"I came here with so many assumptions and thinking I was open and I knew a lot….but I realized that I had so much more to learn. I’m so glad I came."

Erica Davison, participant

"I liked working at Legacy because of the close relationships developed. Staff had a strong sense of personal responsibility for working as a team, to make the summer a success. The people are always my favorite part. When I worked in the kitchen, I learned a lot from my co-workers. Aside from practical knowledge, I also learned about close teamwork, and became better at working successfully in challenging conditions (broken equipment, multiple daily deadlines & other surprises)."

"There are many things I like about work at Legacy. Creativity is the first. Everybody is inspired to be creative, to bring out their hidden depths and skills. Inclusion comes next. I admire the integrity of the GYV environment to create a gossip-free, clique-free experience, where people can express themselves in direct, creative ways and where everyone feels accepted and valued."

Jaimee Braun, GYV Staff

"Legacy helps you appreciate the similarities and differences in the human family. Everybody was on equal footing here. Playing soccer, learning complicated dances, performing skits was done without hesitation. I gained a lot of confidence and a greater sense of who I can be."

Daniel Gangone, Lakota Nation, USA

“I learned that listening to understand, isn’t listening to agree. From now on I will engage in dialogue without the intention toward violence and without being inhibited by fear of differences.”

Iraqi Youth, Participant

"At GYV I’ve met amazing people and have been exposed to so many new things- foods, customs, religions, cultures and much more. I have truly absorbed the GYV experience like a sponge. In the Global Music Workshop, I learned about Arabic music and how to play it. I improved my journalism skills and computer skills by working on the DVD Memory Journal, it also taught me teamwork, cooperation, and how to be a leader. I learned to be open-minded and explore new things. The Global Youth Village gave me the opportunity to explore who I am and who I want to be."

Omar Alsaadi, Participant

"GYV was an amazing experience for me. These past three weeks have been influential and the people here have truly changed my life. I feel like this trip bettered me as a person. I made some of the best friendships and connections with the most brilliant and genuine people and am thrilled to have done so."

Katherine Pena, Participant

"I have improved my conversation and public speaking skills by engaging in discussions in my Global Music workshop, the Sharing Night Action Team, and other classes. The activities and various games led my new friends and I to have conversations and express our different points of view. GYV is a unique place where everyone is treated equal regardless of ethnicity, religion, background, and other aspects that separate people in society today."

Tania Garcia, Participant

"The seeds were already there. GYV has helped Rocky develop a keen sense of the world around her and enhanced her drive to effect positive change in the world. She has developed wonderful relationships with campers and staff."

Ellen Feld, Parent

"The day after he come home he said, “I think I am a better person from that camp.” He couldn’t quite put it into words why he was better, but I have noticed him being more cooperative- I think he got a reality check at camp learning about so many other teens’ lives."

Becky Castro, Parent

"It was a great pre-college, pre-dorm experience. She got a taste of walking to the bathroom, sharing a room with other kids, and trying new foods. It helped with her confidence to try new things on her own."

Edie Holzer, Parent

"GYV was a great experience for Liam both years. He was encouraged to develop his leadership capacity and enhanced his knowledge of other cultures. He was elected class co-president for this year. He’s made friends from all over the world who he plans to visit and keep in touch with. His confidence and ability to communicate across cultural and ethnic borders has grown through this experience."

Janet Kelly, Parent

"I heard the songs and languages, tasted and smelled foods and learned about the customs and ceremonies of people from many lands. I painted landscapes, built a hiking trail and scaled a rock face. I have felt the joys and fears of humankind. Since coming to Legacy, I feel comfortable with unfamiliar beliefs, ideas and people."

Xin Yan Mai, USA, GYV participant

"GYV has been like an open book where each counselor and participants are pages filled with so much information. I have learned about many cultures and backgrounds. When I first arrived at the Global Youth Village, I was struck by the number of people ready to welcome me even though we were total strangers. With all the chaos I experience in the world, I found GYV to be a heaven."

Vivek Desai, India, GYV Staff

"I extended my vision of the world by spending three weeks with people from different countries, backgrounds, ethnicities, etc… I remember I was always nervous about meeting new people. Now, I am so glad to share with you that I stepped out of my comfort zone and have made friends from New York, Nigeria, Indonesia, Hungary, Germany, and other places!"

Tania Garcia, USA, GYV participant

"I learned creative ways of helping young people work as a team, explore issues regarding their immediate society and the global society, which all came in handy in my college teaching experience. By my GYV experience and by observing how it is created, I have become more able to create such a classroom environment myself and other teachers have also taken ideas and activities from me, which made a positive contribution to the school."

Ebru McCallum, Turkey, GYV staff & participant, college professor

"I really enjoyed it here. I made a game board where the people were the game pieces. To move, you had to answer environmental questions. You could go to jail, move up or back or answer bonus questions. It was a big success. Through the process, I learned how to work with people and how to conduct a workshop."

Celeste Faison, USA, GYV participant

"Prior to arriving at camp I didn’t have a picture of world music. But thanks to the Global Music Workshop, I have really expanded my mind. I now know the E scale on the oud, rababa, and rive."

Yusuf Albarzinji, USA, GYV 2007

"I took part in the dialogue workshop. We learned conflict resolution skills and had group discussions on issues with perspectives of Palestinians, Ugandans, Nigerians, Germans, and Americans of all backgrounds."

Liam Flemming, USA, GYV partipant

"I see clearly that our democracy is highly organized and strives for balance between branches. Democracy in practice is not idealistic. It takes work and many great and thoughtful people."

Irene Mui, USA, GYV participant

"So far the best part of GYV is being around all the different cultures, religions, etc… One night we had an Indonesian night where they showed their traditional dress, dances, and music. The following night we had an evening program show casing Palestinian, Indonesian, Singapore, Mexican, Dominican Republic, and Crow culture, traditional food and clothing."

Mustafa Salim, GYV participant

"My Community Service Action Team taught me that life is full of surprises, and maybe one day I will need help. So for right now, I should commit myself to helping the less fortunate."